Across The Great Divide
by MaryFan1
Summary: Will the secret Ann has been keeping destroy her marriage to Bobby when it comes to light? This is my take on the Emma situation.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: I absolutely love Ann and her and Bobby together so I thought I would try my hand at a fanfic. Reviews are appreciated.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters on Dallas**_

Her whole body shook like a leaf. She couldn't believe it, after all these years. Her baby could be alive, her precious girl. Her ex-husband, Harris Ryland, claimed he'd found her and had his DNA tested. But he wouldn't tell her where their daughter was unless he turned over an incriminating tape she had of him. He was the scum of the earth so she tried hard not to get her hopes up. He had caused her a lot of pain in the past and she wouldn't put it past him to play the cruelest trick of all. She sat in her car in the driveway at South Fork staring at the picture of the pretty young woman that might be her daughter. Her Emma. She had to tell Bobby. It was a secret she'd kept for the whole time they'd been together. It was painful to talk about and she blamed herself. For one split second she turned away and the little girl was gone and all that remained was an empty stroller. She prayed Bobby would understand. He was the kindest man she'd ever known and with him she knew real love for the first time. But now she would find out if that love was strong enough to withstand her revelation. She steeled herself, got out of the car and walked into the house.

Bobby was in the kitchen and greeted her, "Hi Honey." She looked at him and he instantly knew something was wrong, "Honey, what is it?" He came over to where she stood in the family room adjacent to the kitchen

She moved to the sofa and sat down, looking at him with those blue eyes, filled with tears, "Bobby, you said I would come to you when I was ready." She took a deep breath, "Twenty two years ago I had a daughter. Her name was Emma. When she was eighteen months old, I took her to the state fair."

She paused and Bobby's revealed his shock, "I only turned away for a minute to get a soda and when I turned back around, she was gone. Someone had taken her."

"Go on." Bobby managed to say

She took another deep breath, unable to read him, "I saw Harris today and he says he's found her." She took out the photo, "He had a DNA test done against this young woman and it matched." She showed him the photo, "He said I should have mine tested, too."

Bobby got up from the couch then turned back around, "So you're telling me that all this time we've been together you never thought to tell me about this?"

"Bobby, I know it's a shock…" She began

"A shock!" He shot back, "Annie, you lied to me. You kept this a secret for seven years." He looked at her unable to hide his disgust, "How could you not tell me?"

Her tears fell hard, "Bobby…I'll do anything to make this right." She moved toward him but he backed away putting up his hand to silence her, he walked away.

She stood there sobbing and a few seconds later came the slamming of the door.

/

She sat in a chair staring again at the picture of the young woman, the fire crackling in the fireplace the only sound. He'd been gone for hours and not a word. Bobby wasn't the type to drink himself senseless when he was upset. He was probably off somewhere clearing his head. Surely they could talk when he got back. A few minutes later she heard the car and the door open. He appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.

She got up and went to him, "Oh, Bobby. I was so worried. Are you alright?"

"What do you think?" he snapped

"Bobby, please talk to me." She pleaded, "I know you're angry but I need you. I have an appointment tomorrow for the DNA test. I know I won't know for a few days but I don't want to go alone."

He couldn't bring himself to do it, "I can't, Annie. I just can't." He walked away leaving her crying once again and for the first time in their married life they slept in separate rooms

/

The next day she called Sue Ellen and explained everything to her, even about the tape Harris wanted of him blackmailing Sue Ellen. She was as much acquainted with Ryland's behavior as Ann and agreed to go with her for the DNA test. They stopped at the park afterward to just sit and talk. Ann took her phone out of her purse and looked at it.

Sue Ellen recognized the sadness in her eyes, "He'll come around, Ann. I know Bobby and you two will work this out."

Ann shook her head, "You didn't see how angry he was."

"Bobby loves you." She assured her

Ann looked at her and sighed, "I'm sorry I got you mixed up in this."

Sue Ellen patted her hand gently, "It'll be okay. The important thing is to find out if this is your daughter."

Ann looked over at the playground. All the children happily playing reminding her of what she had lost. She looked back at Sue Ellen, smiled slightly with nod.

/

Two days later the call came and it was true. It was her Emma. Bobby wasn't there. He was home less and less. She called Sue Ellen and they went over to Harris's. He greeted them at the door with a satisfied smirk.

"Well, Annie. I thought I'd see you eventually." He glanced at Sue Ellen, "You too, Sue Ellen."

"Give me my daughter's address." She demanded

"No, no. Not until I get that tape."

The two women glanced at each other and Ann took the tape out of her purse and practically threw it at him, "her address now."

Harris calmly pulled a slip of paper from his shirt pocket and she grabbed it, "If this isn't my daughter's address, believe me, I will send you straight to hell."

Outside Ann stood motionless looking at the piece of paper. Sue Ellen put her arm around her, "It's alright. I know you're nervous."

"Come with me." She pleaded, "I can't go alone and I can't ask Bobby."

Sue Ellen gave her shoulder a squeeze, "Okay."

A short while later they pulled up to a vast estate and came to the riding stables. A woman was standing watching a young woman taking a riding lesson.

Sue Ellen approached her, "Excuse me, we're looking for Emma."

The woman pointed to the girl on the horse.

"May we speak to her please?"

The woman nodded and called for Emma to come over. She got off her horse and as soon as she headed toward them Ann met her halfway.

"Oh Emma, my darling girl." She smiled at her, "I'm your mother."

"I know who you are." She said and Ann moved closer but the girl moved back, "They said you were coming to see me but you've made a mistake, Ann. I didn't want you to come. I was hoping I would never see you again." And with that she turned on her heels and walked away.

Ann stood there stunned then almost collapsed as Sue Ellen caught her and helped her back to her car.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I hope you all will bear with me. I know this is very similar to what happened on the show. This really isn't about changing what happened to Emma but more about a different take on how Bobby and Ann deal with it and maybe the relationship that might develop between Ann and Emma. Again reviews are appreciated.**_

Bobby arrived home that afternoon to find Sue Ellen's car there and another he didn't recognize. He entered the house to find Sue Ellen heading down the staircase.

"Sue Ellen, what's going on?" He asked

She reached the bottom of the stairs and exhaled, "Bobby, I went with Ann to see her daughter and it didn't go well. The girl told her she never wanted to see her again. She almost collapsed and I got her back to the car. I called her doctor from the number on the fridge. He's with her now."

Bobby rubbed his hand over his face and sighed, "So she doesn't know what happened to her?"

Sue Ellen shook her head, "No."

Bobby walked into the office off the foyer taking a set at his desk and Sue Ellen followed, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from the desk, "Bobby, I know you're angry with Ann. That's why I went with her. But she needs to know what happened to her daughter. She needs your help."

Bobby nodded slightly knowing she was right. There would be a time to deal with his feelings later.

"Look." Sue Ellen said, "There is something you don't know and she'll probably be angry at me for telling you…but Harris wouldn't tell her where Emma was unless she turned over to him a tape she had of him admitting to blackmailing me and money laundering."

"What?" Bobby snapped, "Ryland threatened her?"

"Yes, so she gave him the tape." She explained

His fury growing, he banged his fist on the desk, "Damn it!"

"Excuse me Mr. Bobby." Carmen appeared in the doorway, "Miss Ann's doctor needs to talk to you."

"Okay, Carmen." He turned back to Sue Ellen, "Thank you for being here. I'll get to bottom of this, Sue Ellen."

"Bobby, I think Harris knows more than he's saying." She replied, "Let me know if I can help in any way."

"Thanks." He said and as she left he headed upstairs

"Mr. Ewing." Dr. Palmer said as he entered their bedroom, "I gave your wife a sedative. She'll hopefully stay asleep for a while."

"Thank you, doctor."

He closed his bag and got up to leave, "Call me if you need anything else."

Bobby nodded and sat gently down on the bed watching his wife sleep.

_Oh Annie, I'll find out exactly what is going on. I promise._

/

He sat smugly at his desk mulling over what must have been his ex-wife's reaction to seeing their daughter. He would have given anything to have seen it in person.

"I don't know why you insisted on bringing Emma here to see that horrible woman." He looked up to see his mother, Judith, standing in the doorway

"I had my reasons, Mother." He replied clearly annoyed

Judith Brown Ryland stood an elegant five feet eight inches tall barefoot. Her long blonde hair swept up in a classic bun. At seventy, she was still striking, "You realize the risk you're taking. It was easy to paint a picture for Emma but now she may get curious, despite how she reacted today."

"I can handle it." He insisted, "Who do you think Emma will believe?"

"Harris, I know it gave you, and frankly me as well, satisfaction, to imagine how Ann must have felt. But be careful. This is our daughter we're talking about. We don't want that woman influencing her. Now do we?"

"I know, Mother, I know."

"Good." She responded, "Don't let your vengeance have the opposite affect and backfire on us."

/

He had gone back downstairs to let her sleep but around dinner time he had Carmen make her a tray and he took it up, hoping she was awake. He opened the door to find her sitting up in bed looking through some things in a box he'd never seen.

She looked up at him her uncertain eyes meeting his, "Oh Bobby, I was wondering where you were. I thought you might have…well that you weren't coming home."

He came around the bed and sat the tray in front of her and she moved the box and its contents to the side, "I thought you might be hungry."

She nodded and smiled slightly, "A little. Thank you."

He glanced at the box, "What's all this?"

She took a bite of the soup Carmen had made, "Its pictures of Emma and a few other things. I was just looking…" She trailed off

He sat down on the side of the bed, "Sue Ellen was here when I got home. She told me what happened with Emma. I'm sorry."

"Thank you." She averted her eyes

"She also told me what Harris made you do to find out where Emma was." He explained

She almost started crying again, "I'm…I'm sorry I should have told you but after…well…I just…I'm sorry."

He'd never seen her quite this vulnerable, now was not the time to be angry about her not telling him about Harris, "Annie, I'm going to find out what happened to your daughter. Who took her and why. I've got Derek working on it. But as far as you and me, I just can't promise anything."

She nodded slightly, "I understand. Thank you for helping me."

He smiled a little and nodded too, getting up off the bed "Now, eat up. You need to keep up your strength. I'll check on you later, okay?"

She looked up at him, smiling, and those blue eyes never able to hide anything, "Okay."

/

The next afternoon Bobby walked to the door and opened it to find Derek standing there, "Hi Derek, come on in."

"Thanks, Mr. Ewing." He replied stepping inside

Bobby led him into the office and they took their seats, "So have you got anything for me?"

"I do but you're not gonna like it." He said

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked

"Well, all we had to go on was the address you gave us so we went out there in an unmarked car and plain clothes so not to spook anyone. We had the picture of Emma but no one really knew her except one guy who knew the horse she rode."

"And?" Bobby asked again

"The horse is owned," He paused, "by Harris Ryland."


End file.
